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All, I've posted this before, but now that we have our own sub-forum someone might have a suggestion. My antenna has never gotten great reception, so I bought a "euro antenna". It's better, but not perfect. Strangely enough, the reception gets better when I touch the antenna, but it's as tight as it can go. Nothing seems loose on the connection inside the trunk. Any other suggestions for getting better reception using the same head unit? (Sorry the pic is sideways).

BMW uses an aluminum thread to screw in the antenna, instead of steel. You will probably find some white-ish powder residue when you remove the antenna. I've been looking into various anti-corrosion agents for aluminum, and when I find one my wife likes (She's a metallurgist) I will let you know. And I will also let you know if that helps the AM squeal when braking.

One poster said, "Isn't it odd that a threaded cable which is screwed in like that could lose connection over time just from typical road bumps? " I'm not sure that's what happened. I doubt the connection came loose. My guess is that fiddling around loosened up some of the corrosion on the aluminum BMW uses, but I just will not have time to do my own fiddling until Monday.

I found that a lot of "dead batteries" on the road (where people couldn't start their car and "needed a jump") had nothing to do with the battery, but the terminal corrosion. I always carried around a very thin long finishing nail and would lightly hammer this into the joint between the battery terminal and the cable. And poof - the car would start. Like magic. Quick. Easy. And didn't waste too much of my time getting them back on the road.

Well.... it was 83 degrees F out yesterday, so there were a lot of t!tties out. Then it started raining just as I got back from an afternoon of twisties. Still raining, and will still rain tomorrow. So.... I did take some video of the AM radio freaking out, so I have to figure out how to post it. Patience. I move slowly when not driving. ;^)

Had one nice day of weather Sun. So I had to clean out the drain holes in the top storage compartment. One friggin little maple tree seed (the helicopter kind) plugged that right up... inch of water in the spare tire well, and drips of water on the electronics.

Haven't forgotten y'all yet. But it's supposed to .... wait for it ... yes, rain the next two days.

Haven't forgotten. Just had both parents go into different hospitals (over an hour and a half), and my materials engineer went to a convention in GA. Then I got sidetracked with a low coolant level, and trying to find out if the back rear panels are leather or vinyl covered.. and so it goes. Also only to find out the ball joint in the front driver's is shot and "very dangerous" according to my mechanic - enough play to snap off during a turn (supposedly). Not trying to derail the thread, just having other things get in the way.